Zombies, Among Other Things
by December Camie
Summary: The thing is, in a zombie apocalypse, you're gonna come across zombies. Gon should've expected that they were going to find more than the one they saw earlier. And he did, in a way. But he didn't really expect it to be like this. (Zombie Apocalypse Modern AU)
1. Prologue

"Whether we win or loose, hell lies ahead of us." -Kite

-o0o-

When he finally sees Killua off in the distance, Gon's heart stops beating for a moment.

Killua spots him a second later and for a good long minute, all they do is stare at each other. Gon sweeps his eyes over his best friend, taking in the muddy, torn clothes and ruffled white hair. There's blood- but not Killua's though, and Gon's grateful for that, even if it means other people had to die for Killua to survive.

At least he's alive. That's all that matters.

Killua speaks first, voice hoarse, "I have to find Alluka."

Fear speeds Gon's heartbeat up again, making it thud loudly in his chest. "Is she okay?" He loves Alluka, almost as much as Killua, and he knows a part of Killua would die with his sister if anything happened to her.

Killua bits his lip, looks away. "I don't know," he admits. "I was out of the house when- you know. It all happened so fast…I haven't gotten the chance to get back home yet. And I can't go to the airport until I find her, Gon. I won't."

Gon frowns. "I know." He wouldn't want Killua to do anything else.

Killua's face is somber with just a touch of wariness when he says, "You can go ahead if you want. I'll find you at the safe point, and-"

"What are you saying?" Gon says before Killua can go on. He _hates_ that look on Killua's face- the look that says 'you can go on and leave me behind, I'll be fine' because it's a _lie_ , and both of them know it.

He doesn't point that out though. Instead he just says, "Why do you always try to get rid of me when it gets hard?"

Killua gapes. "I don't- I wasn't-"

Gon stamps his foot on the cracked concrete. "You were though! You totally were! You thought I was gonna let you head back in there alone. But I would never do that! I never have and I never will. We made a promise, remember?"

Killua is very still now. He gazes at Gon with wide, crystal blue eyes and swallows. Gon glares right back, hands fists at his side. Killua is thinking about the same thing as Gon, he can tell, about that moment in the heat of summer two years ago-

" _Lets stay together!"_

" _Huh? Why would we do that, dummy?"_

" _Because we're friends! And friends should help each other out! Mito says everyone has that one person, the person who's always there for you for the rest of your life, no matter what happens. You like spending time with me, right?_

"… _yeah. I guess."_

" _So why can't that be us? If anyone can do it, it would be us! Together, we can do anything."_

-and they'd been together, ever since that humid night under the stars. They'd made a promise to each other, one that would never be broken even if it was the end of the world.

"I'm not gonna leave you, Killua," he says softly.

Gon grins when Killua's cheeks flare bright red. But then Killua abruptly turns on his heel and walks off. Gon yelps and scrambles to catch up as Killua says over his shoulder, "Yeah, I know that! I was just thinking about your aunt. That's all."

"Aunt Mito's okay." Gon slows as he matches Killua's pace so they're walking together side by side. "We made it to the airport last night with Kite."

Killua blinks. "Last night? But, then why would you leave-?"

"To find you, of course!" Gon chirps. He laughs out loud at Killua's scowl.

"I can take care of myself!"

"I know, but I wanted to help! I knew you were still out here and I had to find you."

Killua's eyes go soft in a way that makes warmth grow in Gon's chest like he just drank a full glass of hot chocolate. Killua doesn't say thanks and Gon doesn't expect him to; Killua explained long ago that ' _friends shouldn't thank friends, looking after each other is something natural_ '.

And it was the truth. Being with Killua was natural, like breathing and smiling and laughing, and that's all there was to it.

-o0o-

 **I don't own HunterxHunter. This work was unedited so sorry if there are any mistakes! I have most of this story written out so it will update every few days. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Got a weapon?

**8/13/2016**

 **I don't own HunterxHunter.**

-o0o-

"Got a weapon?" Killua asks later after they've built a bonfire and set up some kind of camping ground for the night. They're up on a hill so they can see if anyone- or thing- approaches them. The fire helps to warm them up as well as keep any stray zombies away- they hated the heat.

 _Uh-oh._ Gon picks at the canned beef Killua stole from some store along the way, knowing Killua won't like the answer. "Do my fists count?"

Killua rolls his eyes. " _No_. What are you gonna do, punch the zombies to death?"

Gon winces. "Um. Yes?"

Killua flicks his forehead- _ow! Killuaaaaa,_ he cries out- before he can get away. "Stupid! You're going to get yourself killed!"

Gon could feel his eyes watering as he rubs where Killua hit him. "But!"

"No buts!" Killua says sternly. "What am I going to do if you get bitten, huh? I can't save both you _and_ Alluka!"

Gon winces. Killua's right, like usual, but. Still. "Well, it worked up until now."

Killua's head snaps up. " _What?_ "

"Well." Gon carefully sets his can to the side so he show Killua what he found. "I found this when me and Aunt Mito were cleaning the house a while back- see?"

He holds up his makeshift weapon for his best friend to see. Killua squints to make it out in the low light then makes a grabbing motion. "Let me-"

"Yeah, here." Gon hands it over and watches Killua turn the glove-like object over in his hands. "It doesn't look like much, but I tampered with it a little with Bisky's help and it's actually really useful! It becomes this fireball thing when you make your hand into a fist and it destroys whatever you hit. Its crazy powerful depending on how much force you put into the punch."

"How does it work?"

"Batteries. And blood."

Killua looks at him sideways, an eyebrow raised. "Blood?"

Gon can't help but smile sheepishly. "Yeah." He'd tried everything but blood was really the only way it would turn on, as weird as it sounded. Batteries fueled the thing once it was active.

"How did you find this thing?"

"I think it belonged to my dad," Gon says. "There were blueprints inside the glove in his handwriting."

Killua bites his lip. "I'm sorry, Gon. You'll probably never find him now."

Gon shrugs. Ging didn't seem like someone who would let the end of the world get the better of him. Gon would bet anything his dad was still out there somewhere, and Gon would find him eventually. But- "We can worry about that later, after we find Alluka. She's more important right now."

Killua nods, worry flooding back into his face. "Right."

Gon wants nothing more than to wipe that expression away. But he can't, not until they get Killua's sister back safe and sound. To distract him, Gon asks, "What about you?"

"What about me?'

"Do you have a weapon?"

"Oh. Yeah, 'course I do. Who do you think I am? I don't come from a family of weapon manufacturers for nothing!"

He reaches into his pockets and pulls out two yo-yos.

Gon's eyes widen involuntarily. "Are those-?"

Killua grins. "You bet."

"And they work?" Gon remembers Killua complaining to him a while ago about how he was trying to figure out a new way to work electric whips into kid toys- so no one would suspect how deadly they really were until it was too late- and how hard it was to find a cohesive alloy. Killua never liked being a test subject for his family's inventions, but coming up with his own meant he would be able to protect himself- and Alluka- against them in the future.

For Killua, self-defense had been a necessity since birth.

"Yep! Fixed them up just in time for this shit show to start." Gon blinks as Killua stands up, wrapping string around his fingers.

"Each one of these weigh fifty kilograms," Killua explains and lets them both hang in the air. Electric spasms of light flicker down the cord connecting to the yo-yo part. "-so they pack quite a punch."

He lets one fly to their right- away from Gon's head- and it smashes into a tree, straight through the trunk and shattering the bark. Gon whistles, impressed.

"Wow. But will the electricity hurt the zombies?" Another thought turns Gon's blood to ice. "Will it hurt _you_?"

"Pffft, nah. I'm electric resistant, remember?" Killua yanks the yo-yos up into the air and does some fancy tricks. Gon tries to follow them with his eyes but Killua is somehow an expert and he moves too fast for Gon to trace. "As far as the zombies, all I have to do is smash their heads in and they're done for. And I'm pretty sure the electricity can paralyze their bodies. Haven't tried it out yet, though."

Gon barely hears him; he's still watching Killua's yo-yos spin through the space above their heads.

"How do you do that?" Gon asks in awe.

Killua smirks. "I once won a contest when I was younger."

"I thought that was in dart throwing, though?"

His friend shrugs. "That too."

Gon feels his mouth hanging open. Killua really is- "You're amazing!"

Killua snorts, pockets the yo-yos, and says, "Hardly. I was just bored."

But Gon can tell Killua's cheeks are a shade darker, even in the flickering firelight, and he beams. Even if Killua didn't think so, Gon likes to remind him just how special he really is. Gon didn't know who else he would rather have at his side, especially during a zombie apocalypse.

"I'm glad you're here with me," Gon admits lowly as he wrings his hands in his lap. He sees Killua's head whip around to stare at him. For a moment, Killua doesn't speak and Gon stays silent, heartbeat thudding loudly in his ears.

Finally Killua lets out a resigned sigh and plops down next to Gon on the ground. "Yeah," he says, just as quiet. "Me too. I don't know how many people would willingly head into this bloodbath with me."

Gon hums. "Kurapika and Leorio?"

"Maybe." Killua leans into Gon's right arm and warmth blossoms under Gon's skin where they touch. "Still. I- I would want it to be you, though."

Gon can't hold back his smile. The moments when Killua shares his feelings are rare, but always one hundred percent genuine. He flings his arms around his best friend's shoulders, despite said friend's squawking- and squeezes him.

"Me too, Killua! I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!"


	3. Captain America

**8/17/2016**

 **I don't own HunterxHunter. Thank you for all the favs, follows and reviews so far!**

-o0o-

"-no way, it's totally impossible!" Killua huffs.

Gon pouts while trying to step on top a large chuck of broken cement. "It's not!"

"Yeah, it is! Give it up, Gon. Loki has _magic_ on his side. Magic! What can Captain America do against that with his dumb shield?"

"A lot of things! He can probably block Loki's magic-"

Killua clicks his tongue before Gon can finish. "No. The shield was made in the- what? Fifties?"

"It was during World War II, right? That's before the fifties." Gon's brow furrows. He thinks so, at least.

"Yeah, you're right. But that only proves my point more." Killua carefully climbs around a section of leftover debris that's jutting out at an odd angle. They're only about half way to the top of this broken cement mountain that had once been a tall building.

"How?" Gon asks and accepts Killua's offered hand.

"Because-" Killua grunts as he pulls Gon up. "-that was so long ago they weren't worried about magic aliens. They wouldn't have made the shield to protect against that kind of stuff. Besides, Loki's a god. Steve Rogers is just a normal guy."

"He's not a normal guy though. He's a superguy-" Gon begins to say, but then his sneaker slips on something and he's _falling-_

"Erk!"

Gon's drop stops short when two sweaty hands clench his in a steel-like grip. His shoulder pops painfully and he cries out.

"Gon!" Killua hisses from somewhere above him. Gon looks up to see Killua holding onto him, keeping him from tumbling all the way down the pile of shattered cinderblock. He would've fallen to his death without Killua's lightning-quick reflexes.

"K-Killua," he stutters and his friend's face twists with the effort of suspending Gon's dead weight.

"Gon, jesus, grab on to something! I can't hold you up for much longer." Sweat glistened on Killua's forehead and his hands were starting to slide on Gon's.

Fear sent a jolt of adrenaline pumping through Gon's veins. He scrambled to get a footing and made it to a secure landing just as Killua's grip weakened completely.

Together the pair breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't ever," Killua pants. "Do that again. Got it?"

His face is as white as a sheet, paler then Gon's ever seen it. Killua had been really scared, he realizes, almost as scared as Gon himself. He'd been scared for Gon, scared to lose him. Gon swallows thickly. "Yeah…"

"What even happened?! We were just talking and then you suddenly dropped out of nowhere!"

"I don't know! The ground was slippery." Gon twists around to look below. On the cinderblock where he had just been standing, was a sheen coat of glimmering scarlet.

"Blood. Fresh blood," Killua says in a hoarse tone as Gon's mouth goes dry. Slowly, he turns to look at Killua. Their eyes lock.

"Do you think?" Gon whispers, almost too scared to voice his fear.

Killua shakes his head. "Dunno. It doesn't matter though. We have to keep going, don't we?" He pushes himself back to a standing position. He shakes his hands, continuing to say, "We just have to keep quiet and move fast to get away from this location; something might be heading our way right now. Are you okay to keep going?"

Gon blinks. "Huh?"

Killua heaves a heavy sigh, a sound that Gon knew meant the silver haired teen was trying not to roll his eyes. "You screamed when you fell. Did you hurt yourself at all?"

"Oh. That." Gon rolls his shoulder, winces at the twinge of pain. It hurts but it's bearable. "I'll be fine. I think I just pulled it a little."

Killua purses his lips and Gon says quickly, "Don't feel bad! I would've died if you hadn't caught me."

His friend looks away. "Yeah...I guess. Let's just get going before something finds us."

They stay closer together after that, with one of them always above the other in case either of them falls again. They make it over the top of the cracked cement hill shortly and they stop to stare at the scene before them.

Buildings are destroyed with shattered windows and cracked wood doors. Cars are left open and abandoned. Smoke sprays from a revealed pipe several blocks down. And then there are the bodies; the bodies are _everywhere_ , blood staining the street, grass and broken buildings a dull red. They're not even full bodies, just parts like a finger here or there, an arm or leg left hanging out of an empty truck. The smell of decay leaves a metal taste in Gon's mouth and his eyes fill with water.

There's no sight of any zombies, though. That was most important.

Gon coughs and covers his nose with a sleeve to block out the worst of the odor. "Where are we?"

"Hunter Street," Killua answers and Gon turns to gawk at him. Killua's gazing straight ahead, refusing to meet his eyes.

Gon lowers his arm. He says quietly, "This is where we first met."

Killua nods. "Yeah."

A pause. Then Gon says, "Nothing is ever going to be the same again, is it?"

"No," Killua says, emotionless to all except Gon, who knew him best. Gon alone could make out the barest flicker of anger-sadness-regret behind the Zoldyck's mask.

"At least we have each other," Gon says and reaches out to squeeze Killua's cold hand.

Killua tightens his fingers around Gon's rather than giving a verbal answer, but Gon is fine with that. They never needed words to communicate anyway.

They stand there, shoulder-to-shoulder, and share a quiet moment looking out at their old life in shambles.

There's a loud crash to their right. It shatters the peace, Killua's grip tightens enough to hurt and he gasps-

Gon follows Killua's wide eyed look, dread pooling in his gut, already knowing what he will find.

He makes out a distorted figure out in the distance; its arms and legs are bent at an awkward angle and it makes jerky, sluggish movements as the thing attempts to leave the building via window. It's over a block away from them but Gon can still hear the high pitched shrieks. The sound raises the hairs on Gon's arms and sends shivers down his spine.

He speaks in a hushed murmur, "Is that-?"

"Yes," Killua answers, just as quiet.

"And your house is on the other side of town, right?"

"Right."

Which meant they had to use this road- and pass that _thing_ \- if they were going to get to Alluka.

Gon's throat closes up, making it hard to speak. He knew they would have to come in contact with zombies eventually, but seeing his first one was…unnerving. When he and Mito escaped, they had made it to the bunker with Kite. He had protected them, shielding the pair from the gore and violence. Gon remembered being frustrated at the time- he had wanted to fight! But now, he was grateful despite his lack of experience.

No one should live to see a corpse stumbling around with half its face missing.

"You know," Killua says out of nowhere, startling Gon out of his thoughts. "Alluka never liked Captain America either."

Gon's brow puckers. Why was Killua bringing this back up all of a sudden? He says, "I never said I didn't-"

Killua interrupts before he can finish. "But you don't, right?"

Gon doesn't fight the guilty smile, small though it is, that comes to his face. "No," he admits. Killua knew him too well.

"Thought so. You don't agree with his idea of justice." It wasn't a question.

Gon shrugs. Justice was a relative term, he always thought. Fighting for your country was a noble thing, sure. But if the nation's rules and regulations got in the way of protecting your friends or being there for them when they needed it the most, what was the point? Captain America never really got that.

But Killua did.

"Alluka likes Thor the most, actually," Killua continues. "Me, I think Thor is a golden retriever swinging a big hammer around. Kinda reminds me of you." He sends Gon a smirk and Gon scowls.

"But-" Killua's expression turns somber again. "I don't mind being whatever hero she wants me to be, as long as we can save her. It doesn't matter what obstacles I have to face; I'm going to find my sister."

Gon nods, feeling a rush of affection towards his best friend. Killua loved his sister so much that he was willing to risk his own life. It was only right that Gon be there by his side.

"With me," Gon adds. He gives their still linked hands another squeeze.

Killua's answering smile is twitch of his lips. "With you," he says softly and holds on tight.


	4. Memory Lane

**8/21/16**

 **I don't own HunterxHunter. My computer is freaking out so I wanted to get this out before it dies on me completely. Enjoy the chapter :)**

-o0o-

Gon met Killua on the first day of June two summers ago, right before they entered high school.

They had both been entered into a three month summer camp. It was a kind of ninja warrior activity event intended to exhaust its participants so they would be too tired to move by the time they arrived home. It sounded great to Gon; he would make new friends and find all types of different ways to push himself!

He hadn't expected on Killua, though, and after him Gon's life was never the same again.

Gon remembers the first time he saw Killua, thinking for a brief moment that he was a moonbeam personified. He was the only other teen Gon's age, slim and lithe, luminescent skin to match silver hair and eyes crafted from midnight skies.

Gon quickly learned that unlike the moon, Killua was anything but soft. He was intuitively clever, a comeback always ready on the tip of his lips, and a trickster at heart. His reflexes were even better than Gon's, which was saying something. Killua missed nothing, his gaze as sharp as his tongue, and Gon knew from experience that Killua could cut a person down with words before they even knew they were being targeted.

At first the other participants underestimated Killua. But they quickly became wary and frightened after he effortlessly wiped out one of the instructors during a hand-to-hand combat lesson. The instructor was triple his age.

Gon, on the other hand, thought Killua was endlessly fascinating from the start; he had finally found someone who would match his every step! Killua challenged Gon effortlessly, sometimes exceeding him by the barest of margins. He went on every crazy adventure Gon came up with, even if he didn't want to. He took the time to explain things Gon didn't understand, like math- _ugh_ \- and the inner social workings of the world.

That was only the outside of Killua, though. Gon liked to see the other, softer side of him, when everyone else was gone for the day and it was just the two of them left to waste the night away.

It was in those moments Killua whispered secrets to Gon about his family, their business of murderous inventions, a dark childhood filled with poison where there should be hugs and torture chambers instead of toy rooms. He talked about freedom like he was a man starved. He told Gon that this camp was the only place he could escape his family and how at the end of the summer he would be forced back to that _prison-_

"Let's stay together then!" Gon said that time under the stars.

And so they did. The very next day they secretly enrolled Killua in Gon's high school. It was the best decision Gon's ever made.

They spent every day together after that, studying, laughing, playing games...anything that came to their minds, they did. Killua lived on the other side of town from Gon's house, which made it hard to spend time together during the weekends, but they both had bikes so they managed.

Gon didn't even know Killua _had_ a sister until school started last year and he saw Killua guiding her down the locker-lined hallway, hand in hand.

"This is Alluka," Killua said when he introduced them. His face glowed with affection as he smiled down at the tiny girl with dark hair and large periwinkle eyes. "My little sister. Alluka, this is Gon- he's the friend I was telling you about, remember?"

" _Best_ friend," Gon corrected and watched with a grin when Killua's eyes widened and his cheeks burned scarlet.

Killua rubbed the back of his neck, awkward even as a small smile graced his lips. "Yeah. Sorry, my bad. Gon's my best friend."

"And Killua is mine!" Gon chirped, beaming. Alluka had laughed. The sound reminded Gon of wind chimes and bells.

After Aunt Mito, Killua was the first person Gon thought of when the end of the world began. Alluka was the second.

But to the Zoldycks, Alluka was barely thought at all, Gon thinks with a frown as he sprinted down the street, right on Killua's heels. According to Killua, his relatives mostly ignore Alluka. In fact, they don't even consider her part of their family.

Gon bites down the boiling anger that threatens to overwhelm him. He focuses harder on the task in front of him:

Running past the zombie that is quickly coming up on their right.

Killua is a silver blur in front of him and Gon can barely keep up as it is. Killua is the fastest person he knows, and Gon could never win in a straight out sprint against him. But this time Gon is trying extra hard; they figured they would stand a better chance of avoiding the zombie's attention if they sprinted past it rather than sneak around.

Gon's sneakers pound on the cement, his heart matching the beat and thudding loudly in his chest, but Killua's steps are light and silent. Gon stares at the back of his friend's head and wonders if he's as terrified as Gon is in this moment.

They're coming up to the zombie now. Closer, closer, closer, _level-_

They fly down the road, past the zombie, and keep going even after its two blocks behind them. They don't stop till they reach a crossroad- nearly five miles from where Gon fell on the cinderblock mountain.

Killua slows to a trot and Gon trips over his own two feet trying to break his gallop. He manages to grab a stop sign last minute to keep him from falling face down on the ground.

"Holy _shit_ ," Killua moans from behind him.

Gon leans on his knees, panting. His legs are trembling from the strain of running and he doesn't have enough air in his lungs to respond.

"Thank god we ran cross country last year. Right, Gon?"

Gon nods, gasps, "Didn't we- _ahh_ \- quit though halfway through?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Why'd we do that, again?"

Gon laughs breathlessly. "You said it was boring."

"Riiiiiight, I remember now. You kept pulling me away on stupid adventures in the middle of the neighborhood runs."

Gon whirls around. "They weren't stupid! You liked them too!"

Killua's lips twitch. "Yeah, okay, they were pretty cool. Remember the time we found that bug jewel thing in Greed Island Park?"

Gon feels a swell of nostalgia at the memory; they'd skipped out of cross country practice to follow a treasure map they'd just found up in Gon's attic. Ging had left it for Gon as a challenge, so of course they had to use it.

Gon asks, "Didn't it start to rain right after we found the jewel too?"

"Yes!" Killua's eyes dance with mirth and Gon knows his face mirrors the same expression. "We were soaked through. Mito had to give me some of your clothes to wear home. My mom was _so pissed_."

"Really?" Gon hadn't known that. His stomach twists uncomfortably at the thought. If Killua's family wasn't happy with him there were usually consequences.

"Don't look so worried, Gon! Jeesh. She didn't do anything except lock me in my room all weekend so I wouldn't stay out so late again. But that was whatever. I snuck out whenever I wanted to anyway." He straightens up and turns around to look west. He points down another cracked road filled with empty, dark buildings. "My house is down that way."

Gon bites his cheek to stop himself from asking more questions, though he would like too. Killua probably wouldn't tell him anything else even if he did ask. So instead he says, "Will we have to pass more zombies?"

Killua makes a face. "Most likely."

Gon groans. "Do we have to?"

" _Yes_. Stop being such a baby. Are you scared or something?"

It's a joke. But Gon can't help but answer honestly, standing up and pushing himself into the other teen's personal space, "Of course I am! Aren't you?"

Killua looks startled at the question and his brows furrows. Then he sighs. "Yeah. But I'm not worried."

Surprise jolts through him. "Why not?"

Killua rolls his eyes. "Don't you remember what you said? As long as we're together, we can do anything. A couple zombies aren't gonna stop us."

Gon's chest feels tight with warmth. He smiles so wide his cheeks hurt and he says, "Yeah."

"C'mon, then. Let's get going." Killua heads off down the road and Gon quickly jogs over so they can walk side by side.

"I have a question," Gon begins to ask.

"Okay. Shoot."

"How do you know Alluka's still at your house? It's been a couple of days since the zombies took over."

Killua tucks his arms behind his head. "Well. There's this thing with my family when it comes to life or death kind of situations. As Zoldycks we're responsible for ourselves as soon as we come of age. Both of my parents have told me if something bad were to ever happen, it's my job to head to our vacation house safely. No one else is going to come search for me."

Gon frowns. He really doesn't understand Killua's family. Aunt Mito hadn't left his side the moment they knew something weird was going on. "I always thought family were supposed to look after each other."

Killua's face darkens. "My family isn't normal, Gon. It's more of a cult then anything." He bitterly kicks a piece of shattered glass. It makes a clinking sound as it hits against the sidewalk.

Gon's heart contracts painfully. "Killua…"

"Anyway," his friend says loudly, talking over Gon as he shoves his hands in his pockets. "The point is, even though I was out of my house when the apocalypse hit, my family knows that I would eventually get to our vacation house unscathed. And I could, if I wanted to."

"You don't though, right?" Gon asks, just to make sure.

Killua snorts. " _No_. 'Course not. Who do you take me for? Once I find Alluka we're going to get as far away from them as possible. This might be our only chance to escape."

Gon jumps over a fallen streetlight. "You know, Killua, you and Alluka are always welcome with me and Aunt Mito. You could be our family, instead. If you wanted."

"You've said that before," Killua huffs out as his cheeks begin to turn a light shade of pink.

"You never believe me, though!" Gon protests.

Killua looks away but Gon can still make out the edge of his smile. His friend says, "That's because you're always saying the weirdest stuff. I never know what to believe when it comes to you."

"I'm being serious, Killua." Gon grabs Killua's plaid sleeve and forces him to turn around so they're face to face. He ducks down so he can catch Killua's azure gaze. "I mean it! My home is your home. Do you really think I would joke about that?"

Killua bites his lip, flushing harder now. "No. You wouldn't- you wouldn't do something like that."

Gon brightens; he's glad Killua wasn't brushing him off. "Think about it, Killua! We wouldn't have to ride our bikes all over town on the weekends anymore. We would get to be together all the time and go on all kinds of adventures!" He gasps as a thought occurs to him and starts to shake Killua in his excitement. "Maybe- hey, Killua- do you think we could share a room, maybe?"

Killua lets out a laugh- it sounds a little broken and helpless, to Gon's ears, but it's still a laugh- and shakes his head. "How am I supposed to know? You would be making all the plans, me and Alluka would just be along for the ride. And we already go on adventures, stupid. You've dragged me all over this town more times than I can count."

Gon's answering grin is wide and sincere. "Yeah but whenever I'm with you it's an adventure, so if we lived together, then _every day_ would be an adventure! Can you picture it, Killua? Every day!"

Bemusement colors Killua's voice, "Let's try to find Alluka first, and then we'll figure out what to do, okay?"

Gon nods enthusiastically. "Okay!"

They continue down the street, Killua walking smoothly in contrast to Gon's skip. At the end of the road, Gon wonders out loud, "How much longer, do you think till we reach your house?"

"An hour or two. Maybe more. It would be faster with bikes, but…"

"Yeah. No bikes in an apocalypse."

"Nope." Killua makes a popping sound with the 'p'.

"But you think Alluka will be there?" he asks, bringing them back to the original topic at hand.

Killua casts his eyes to the sky. He's quiet for a moment. Then says, "Alluka is different from the rest of us, you know. She hasn't gone through all the training stuff that my parents forced me and my other siblings through. She's- innocent, I guess. Though my parents would call her _weak_."

He scowls, disgust written on his face. "Their priorities are seriously messed up, even ignoring the training aspect. They don't consider Alluka family, Gon. My mom gave birth to Alluka but they treat her like she's a bomb about to go off."

Gon begins hesitantly, "So, when the zombies started to take over…"

Killua's expression turns hard with cold fury. Hatred rolls off him in waves. "They would have left her to fend for herself, knowing full well that there's no way she could survive."

Gon stares at Killua with horror. His heart stutters in his chest. Killua isn't lying, he could tell.

"Alluka is definitely at the house," Killua says. "The only question now is whether she's infected or dead."


End file.
